Sanders Accuses Howard Schultz of Trying to Blackmail the Democratic Party

"What is he [doing,] blackmailing the Democratic Party?" Sanders asked.

By NTK Staff | 02.19.2019 @11:09am

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) accused former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who is exploring an independent run for president, of trying to “blackmail” the Democratic Party during an interview on CBS “This Morning” on Tuesday.

CBS’s John Dickerson asked Sanders about Schultz’s claim that he would not run for president if the Democrats nominated a moderate.

“Oh, isn’t that nice?” Sanders joked. “Why is Howard Schultz on every television station in this country? Why are you quoting Howard Schultz? Because he’s a billionaire.”

“There are a lot of people I know personally, who work hard for a living and make 40, 50 thousand dollars a year, who know a lot more about politics than in all due respect does Mr. Schultz,” Sanders added.

Sanders then said that Schultz is only credible because he’s a billionaire.

“What is he [doing,] blackmailing the Democratic Party? [Saying,] ‘If you don’t nominate Bernie Sanders, he’s not gonna run?'” Sanders said. “Well, I don’t think we should succumb to that kind of blackmail.”

Dickerson asked Sanders what he thought about Schultz’s theory that in order for the Democratic Party to win in 2020, they cannot nominate a radical candidate.

“I think his deeper theory is, ‘Hey, I’m a billionaire. Leave me alone and let me make as much as money as I can without paying my fair share of taxes,'” Sanders responded.

Sanders, who is himself an independent, has chosen to seek the nomination of the Democratic Party, unlike Schultz, who is exploring a bid outside of the party’s structure.